The Canadian Commonwealth eBook

III

I was up and down the Pacific the year the Mikado
died, and chanced to be in San Diego the month that
a Japanese warship put into port because its commander
had suicided of grief over the Emperor’s death.
The ship had to lie in port till a new commander
came out from Japan. Japanese coolies were no
longer coming; but the Japanese middies had the run
and freedom of the harbor; and they sketched all the
whereabouts of Point Loma—­purely out of
interest for Mrs. Tingley’s Theosophy, of course.

Diaz’s ministry had been very hard pressed financially
before being ousted by Madero. Some Boston and
Pacific Coast men had secured an option from the Diaz
faction of the sandy reaches known as Magdalena Bay
in Lower California. The Pacific Coast is a land
of few good natural harbors; especially harbors for
a naval station and target practice. Suddenly
an unseen hand blocked negotiations. Within a
year Japan had almost leased Magdalena Bay, when Uncle
Sam wakened up and ordered “hands off.”

Nicaragua has never been famous as a great fishing
country. Yet Japanese fishermen tried to lease
fishing rights there and may have, for all the world
knows. In spite of exclusion acts, they already
dominate the salmon fishing of the Pacific.

Coaling facilities will be provided for the merchantmen
of the world at both ends of Panama. Yet when
England and France began furbishing up colonial stations
in the Caribbean, Japan forthwith made offers for a
site for a coaling station in the Gulf of Mexico.

But it was in South America and Mexico that the most
active colonization proceeded. There is not
an American diplomat in South America who does not
know this and who has not reported it—­reported
it with one finger on both lips and then has seen
his report discreetly smothered in departmental pigeon-holes.
Up to a few years ago Mexico and South America were
enjoying marvelous prosperity. Coffee had not
collapsed in Brazil. Banks had not blown up from
self-inflation in Argentina. Revolution at home
and war abroad had not closed mines in Mexico.
All hands were stretched out for colonists.
Japan launched vast trans-Pacific colonization schemes.
Ships were sent scouting commercial possibilities
in South America. To colonists in Chile and
Peru, fare was in many cases prepaid. Money was
loaned to help the colonists establish themselves,
and an American representative to one of these countries
told me that free passage was given colonists on furlough
home if they would go back to the colony. There
is no known record outside Japan of the numbers of
these colonists. And Japan asks—­why
not? Does not England colonize; does not Germany
colonize; does not France colonize? We are taking
our place at the world board of trade. If we
fail to make good, throw us out. If we make good,
we do not ask “by your leave.”